Below you will find a few of the car reviews that I have completed for the My Becker's Story blog a webpage where I share my story about what it is like living with Muscular Dystrophy.

2011 Toyota Sienna

Toyota Sienna

When it comes to great vehicles for those with disabilities many of us would agree that a minivan like the 2011 Toyota Sienna would be a great choice. It was in late 2010 when Toyota released the completely redesigned 2011 Toyota Sienna and and like me many people were very impressed by the new exterior styling. The first time I saw the 2011 Sienna I couldn't (to continue reading click here)

2012 Chevrolet Equinox

2012 Chevrolet Equinox

Today I would like to take a look at the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, sure it's an SUV but it might surprise you how great of a vehicle this is for those of us with mobility issues. Recently I visited my local Chevrolet Dealership and (click here to continue reading)

2012 Mazda 5

2012 Mazda 5

In early 2011 Mazda introduced the all new 2012 Mazda 5 though the side profile hasn’t changed that much the new Mazda 5 will still impress those looking for a unique and sporty drive. For the 2012 model year the Mazda 5 has seen some major changes when it comes to front and rear styling. For 2012 the new front end of Mazda 5 now resembles the Mazda 3 and this isn’t (click here to continue reading)

2011 Scion xD

2011 Scion xD

Recently I was given the opportunity to drive the 2011 Scion xD, and I had just three days to find out what makes the xD a great vehicle for those of us with disabilities. When I picked up the xD it was a cold winters day, it was actually (click here to continue reading)

2011 Honda Fit

2011 Honda Fit

The other day I started to think that there's not many cars out there that really fit the needs of those with disabilities, sure there's many vans and SUV's that do the job just fine, but what about cars?

I recently came across a car that most would never considered as even an option when trying to find a vehicle which would be suitable for a person with a disability. So I stopped in at the local Honda dealership and came (click here to continue reading)

Please visit the My Becker's Story blog where I share my personal story about what it is like living with Becker's Muscular Dystrophy.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The first time I was introduced to the Chevrolet Orlando was when GM released the concept version of this vehicle. At the time I was quite impressed I thought it was a very unique looking vehicle and when I heard GM had approved the Orlando for production I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing that impressed me about the Orlando was its exterior styling the rear of the vehicle featured some very nice touches. The one part of the Orlando concept I liked the most was the design of the rear tail lights there placement and look suited the rear styling of the vehicle. The front end featured uniquely designed head lights which went a long way in helping to give the Orlando a sporty look something were not use to seeing from GM. It seemed like the Chevrolet Orlando would be the next vehicle to represent a new direction for GM and I was quite optimistic about the future of this vehicle thinking it may be a great success for a company who had recently fallen on hard times. Part of the problem with GM in the past was the fact that they built cars that simply couldn’t compete against their competition. When I was much younger I actually use to refer to them as the auto maker who followed their own path, only making the cars they wanted to make a car company that didn’t take the competition very seriously. Eventually this led to declining sales since other auto makers where doing a better job of providing customers with vehicles they actually wanted to drive. ﻿

Chevrolet Orlando Concept

To me the success of a company such as GM is very important to me since I live in a town where their vehicles are manufactured. And when I first saw the Orlando concept I believed it represented a new direction for GM I thought this vehicle could be a great success, I was just hoping that the production version of the Orlando turned out as well as the concept did. Eventually GM did release a few shots of the production version and like many people I was actually surprised and disappointed that GM took what was a great looking vehicle and turned it into something so dull and boring. In my opinion it looks like GM is still not willing to take any chances when it comes to the design of its vehicles. I really don’t think it makes any sense for a car company to bring a vehicle to market that already looks aged. In recent years other companies such as Hyundai and even Kia have been doing an amazing job of bringing to market unique car designs that attract younger buyers. When you look at the 2012 Chevrolet Orlando and compare it to the competition you will see that other manufactures offer buyers some very unique looking vehicles to choose from. Take a look at the Orlando’s closest competition the 2012 Mazda 5 and you will see a much better looking vehicle that is very sporty and much more enjoyable to drive. In my opinion the Chevrolet Orlando doesn’t have much character at all and its rental car looks don’t make me want to rush out and purchase one. I really wonder what GM was thinking and why they made the decision to take what was an amazing concept and then turn it into something so uninteresting and boring. They had a great opportunity here to bring to market a vehicle that would appeal to a younger audience but just like in the past they tend to only create vehicles that are geared toward the older crowd. With so many new and more interesting vehicles being released by it's competitors the Orlando could suffer from poor sales. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

2012 Mazda 5 Ford C-Max

I am sure many people will agree that the 2012 Chevrolet Orlando is a step in the right direction for GM they justneed to be more willing to take some chance and create interesting vehicles that can compete against companies like Kia and Hyundai. It seems like when it comes to GM their designs are very basic and plain when the majority of car buyers are looking to purchase a vehicle that stands out that makes them feel good when their behind the wheel. And sure GM`s interiors have come a long way and I am actually impressed with the fit and finish found inside their current vehicles. To me the most useful feature found inside the 2012 Orlando is the unique in dash flip up storage compartment which was mainly created for you to store your smart phone or other devices. But that`s really the only feature found in the Orlando that impresses me, my main issue with this vehicle is its design which I believe

can still be improved. If the Orlando is actually a success that means with-in the next 3-4 years it will be due for a refresh which means many of the issues I have with the looks of the new Orlando can be addressed. Now I am sure the Orlando is a decent vehicle but I do have a few suggestions for GM when it comes time to for a few updates. The first thing I would do is apply the rear design from the concept to the production version of the Orlando which would help to create a vehicle that is much more visually appealing. Next I would rework the front end to include a front head light design similar to the ones found on the Orlando concept. Now the last thing I would suggest for GM to do is stop being so afraid of the word “mini-van” and to just add side sliding doors to the Chevrolet Orlando so it can compete against offerings from other car makers. To me it looks like GM has the capabilities of releasing vehicles that appeal to the masses and it seems like their concept design department is doing a great job of creating interesting designs but sadly many of their ideas are not making it into production. As you can see I haven`t totally given up on GM just yet I just hope the next time they show us a concept vehicle that they do a better job when it comes time to putting that vehicle into production.

Below you will find examples of concept cars that GM did a great job of coverting into production vehicles:﻿

Friday, November 4, 2011

The star of the reality and her family are also web searches on the heels of the announcement that she is divorced from Kris Humphries, after 72 days of marriage.

The announcement of Kim Kardashian and Kris Humph impending divorce "immediately became a hot topic around the internet, prompting a wide range of topics and trends on Twitter in web search engines.

The star of reality, often the target of public scrutiny, has become the subject of a barrage of jokes, indignation, and in some cases, indifference on Twitter, where many people commented on the news that has generated at least nine subjects trends in social networking site, according Trendistic Twitter, the following trends.

News of the pair split peaked on Twitter at 9 am PST Monday, with 1.75% of all tweets dedicated to Kardashian. Among the most popular were "# ThingsLongerThanKimsMarriage", "72 Days", changing the names of the partners, "" divorce "," marriage "and" marriage. "The term" money "," How "and" I "They were also popular, and many - but not all - of the tweets related to the divorce Humphries.

Probably the trendiest topic, even for a period of more than the peak on Monday, is the "# ThingsLongerThanKimsMarriage" comparisons were made, "the NBA block" and "Taylor Swift's speech, Kanye took the microphone." The most retweeted messages, Slate magazine, was "the break after Dora asks a question."

Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries also ranked as the corresponding No. 3 and No. 5 most popular in terms of Google Monday, according to Google Trends.

At Yahoo, looked hot top 10 points Tuesday afternoon - more than 24 hours after the news broke - continued to be dominated by the Kardashian clan. The research included the most Kardashian, Humphries, her mother, Kris Jenner, who speaks of the new divorce during a promotional tour for his new book, Kris Jenner ... and all things Kardashian and sister Khloe Kardashian.

The couple married Aug. 20, just 72 days before Kardashian has filed for divorce on grounds of "irreconcilable differences". It was the second marriage for Kardashian, who had married music producer Damon Thomas in a secret ceremony in Las Vegas in 2000. They divorced in 2004.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

NEW! For each automotive review I complete that is published that I get paid for I will donate a portion of those funds to the 2012 Durham Region Walk for Muscular Dystrophy. This is a yearly event that I am involved in not only as a participant but as a part of the planning committee as well. I believe this is a great way to rasie funds for Muscular Dystrophy Canada through out the year. So the more car reviews I complete that are published and paid for the more funds I will be able to raise for Muscular Dystrophy Canada to help them continue offering support services to people like me who are living with Muscular Dystrophy.

The 2012 Durham Region Walk for Muscular Dystrophy is only one event out of many which take place across Canada every year. I am always looking for unique ways to raise awareness about Muscular Dystrophy while providing you with quality car reviews from a different perspective and I believe that this is a great way to accomplish both. ﻿﻿

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click here to learn more about Muscular Dystrophy Canada

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﻿﻿A few months ago I was given the opportunity to complete a feature article for an automotive website by the name of Autos.ca - This has turned into a great opportunity to raise awareness about Becker's Muscular Dystrophy and the needs of those of us living with disabilities. To view my Top 10 vehicles for people with disabilities article please click on the picture below.

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click here to view my Top 10 vehicles for people with disabilities article

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Along with being a freelance journalist I am also the author of the My Becker's Story blog where I share my story about what it is like living with Becker's Muscular Dystrophy. My goal is to raise awareness about Muscular Dystrophy and the issues people with disabilities face. Please join me at the My Becker's Story blog.﻿

click here to view the My Becker's Story blog

To read my blog post about the 2011 Durham Region Walk for Muscular Dystrophy click on the picture below:

click here to view this blog post about the 2011 Walk for Muscular Dystrophy

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

When it comes to picking out the best new SUV for you and your family, there are a lot of different things to consider besides sticker price and whether or not you think the car salesman you are working with was hired simply because his polyester suit matched his polyester hair. You see, there can be bad salespeople at any dealership and paying the right price for your next SUV will come down to doing your homework when the time comes and then being prepared to be doing a bit of negotiating.

But before you jump ahead to the actual process of "buying" your next 2012 SUV, you must first go out and "shop" for one first. And if you hadn't noticed lately, there are a lot of choices out there for the average consumer. Admittedly, a 2012 Range Rover might be nice to dream about but can you afford $90,000, a tenacious thirst for premium unleaded and the possibility that something might go wrong with this most complex SUV ever built once it's out of warranty?

Don't answer that if you have a house in the Hamptons, have live-in help who raise your children, or don't have the slightest clue why 99% of a population would resent the top 1% of money earners in the populace. While there are some luxurious and upscale choices on this list, even the top level models here lack the showy ostentation that is never popular in a recession.